Dairy Business Innovation Initiatives Program (DBI) Fiscal Year 2026
USDA offers $12.65 million for FY 2026 to four existing Dairy Business Innovation initiatives to diversify dairy markets and farmer income, with priority encouraged for equipment and infrastructure subawards.
Funder: Agricultural Marketing Service
Due Dates: January 4, 2027, at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time (Application deadline)
Funding Amounts: Approximately $12.65 million total; $2.3 million–$3.45 million per initiative over 36 months
Summary: Supports existing regional dairy initiatives providing technical assistance and subawards to strengthen dairy businesses and diversify markets.
Key Information: Direct applications are restricted to four existing DBI initiatives; dairy businesses receive funding through initiative subawards.
Description
The USDA Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) administers the Dairy Business Innovation (DBI) Initiatives Program to support dairy businesses in developing, producing, marketing, and distributing dairy products. Fiscal year 2026 funding supports the four existing initiatives in continuing regional work begun under previous awards. The program aims to diversify dairy markets, reduce risk, develop higher-value uses for dairy products, diversify farmer income through processing and marketing innovation, and encourage regional milk production.
Initiatives provide nonmonetary technical assistance and subawards for farm modernization, specialization and grazing transitions, processor facility and process improvements, and dairy product development, packaging, and marketing. Supported businesses may specialize in products such as specialty cheese or products made from cow, sheep, or goat milk. AMS strongly encourages equipment and infrastructure subawards for this cycle.
